Alternative Energy

Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004

On November 30, 2004, Governor Edward Rendell signed Act 213 into law. Generally, Act 213 requires that electric distribution companies and electric generation suppliers include a specific percentage of electricity from alternative resources in the generation that they sell to Pennsylvania customers. The level of alternative energy required gradually increases according to a fifteen year schedule found in Act 213. While Act 213, does not mandate exactly which resources must be utilized and in what quantities, certain minimum thresholds must be met for the use of Tier I , Tier II, and solar photovoltaic resources.

Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act 40 of 2017

Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) Program Web Site

AEPS Website - The AEPS website provides a portal for the application and registration of alternative energy facilities that qualify for the AEPS program. It also assists in the management of AECs (Alternative Energy Credits) produced by small customer-owned generators and energy efficiency measures, and facilitates the trade of AECs from customer-owned generators and energy efficiency measures through a regional bulletin board.

AEPS Tier 1 Quarterly Adjustment

Act 129 of 2008, P.L. 1592, (Act 129) was signed into law on October 15, 2008. Section 5 of Act 129 added Section 2814 to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Code, 66 Pa. C.S. § 2814. Section 2814 expanded the types of sources that qualify as Tier I alternative energy sources under the AEPS Act to include specific categories of low impact hydropower and biomass energy. Section 2814 also required the Pennsylvania PUC to increase, at least quarterly, the percentage share of Tier I resources to be sold by EDCs and EGSs to reflect any new Tier I resources added as a result of this amendment. See 66 Pa. C.S. § 2814(c).

Final Order - AEPS Quarterly Adjustment Final Order regarding the proceeding to evaluate transition to corrected non-solar Tier I Calculation Methodology. From the Public Meeting of October 6, 2016 at Docket No. M-2009-2093383.

Tentative Order - AEPS Quarterly Adjustment Tentative Order regarding the proceeding to evaluate transition to corrected non-solar Tier I Calculation Methodology. Public Meeting of August 11, 2016 at Docket No. M-2009-2093383.

Pricing for AEC Sales

Proposed and Final Rulemaking Order - 2016

Consolidated Case View – Link to review all filings, comments, orders, reports, and other documents associated with this Docket Number L-2014-2404361.

Secretarial Letter on the Process for Obtaining Commission Approval of Customer-Generator Status - Dated January 5, 2017. Pursuant to the Final Rulemaking Order of October 27, 2016, EDCs are required to submit to the Commission, for review and approval, all interconnection and net metering applications with nameplate capacities of 500 kW or greater. This Secretarial Letter, issued explains the process to be followed by the EDCs, pursuant to 52 Pa. Code Section 75.17. Docket Number L-2014-2404361.

Final Rulemaking Order – At the Public Meeting of October 27, 2016, the Commission voted to implement modified regulations related to the AEPS Act of 2004, following more than two years of public input, regulatory review and discussion. The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt the revised Rulemaking Order, which clarifies issues related to net metering, interconnection and compliance provisions. The 153-page order was originally approved by the PUC in February 2016, and then modified in June 2016, based on objections raised by the state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC). Docket Number L-2014-2404361.

Act 129 Change to AEPS Final Order

Consolidated Case View – Link to review all filings, comments, orders, reports, and other documents associated with this Docket Number M-2009-2093383.

Standards for the Participation of Demand Side Management Resources

Act 213 includes demand side management, energy efficiency and load management programs and technologies among the resources eligible for participation in Pennsylvania’s alternative energy market. These standards govern the tracking and verification of DSM/EE measures and will also be used to measure and verify applicable DSM/EE measures used by EDCs to meet the Act 129 consumption and peak demand reduction targets.

Net Metering

The Commission has published a final rulemaking order which promotes onsite generation by customer-generators using renewable resources and eliminates barriers which may have previously existed regarding net metering. The regulations also provide for metering capabilities that will be required and a compensation mechanism which reimburses customer-generators for surplus energy supplied to the electric grid.

Final Omitted Rulemaking Order (Net Metering) - From the Public Meeting of May 22, 2008. Docket No. L-00050174. These regulations were published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on November 29, 2008 and are legally effective as of that date.

Final Rulemaking Order (Net Metering) - From the Public Meeting of June 22, 2006. Docket No. M-00051865 and L-00050174. These regulations were published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on December 16, 2006 and are legally effective as of that date.

Interconnection Rules

The Commission has published a final rulemaking order which establishes regulations governing interconnection for customer-generators. The regulations have been drafted with a view towards promoting onsite generation by customer-generators using renewable resources, consistent with the over-arching goal of the Act. The regulations strive to eliminate barriers which may have previously existed with regard to interconnection while ensuring that interconnection by customer-generators will not pose unnecessary risks to the electric distribution systems in the Commonwealth.

Final Rulemaking Order - Reconsideration – From the Public Meeting held September 15, 2006. Docket No. M-00051865 and L-00050175. These regulations were published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on December 16, 2006 and are legally effective as of that date.

Interconnection Application Agreements

The regulations regarding the Interconnection Standards provide that standard interconnection forms will be used and posted on electric distribution companies (EDC) websites. Docket No. M-00051865.

Interconnection Application Agreement - Order and final interconnection applications and agreements for Level 1 Review (Certified Inverter-based Units of 10 kW and under) and Level 2,3,4 Review (Generation up to 5,000 kW). From the Public Meeting held February 26, 2009. Docket No. M-00051865.

Interconnection Application Fees

A policy statement was adopted on Feb. 26, 2009, that sets forth the standard application fees for Level 1 through Level 4 for reviews of generating facilities and completion of the interconnection pursuant to the Commission's regulations of 52 Pa. Code 75.21-75.51.

On December 15, 2006, the Commission adopted net metering and interconnection rules in Chapter 75 of Pa. Code Title 52 that became effective on December 16, 2006. These rules were promulgated in compliance with the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS). The AEPS Act was amended with the passage of Act 35 of 2007, on July 17, 2007. Act 35 of 2007 amended several provisions of the AEPS Act, including those relating to the definition of customer-generator, the reconciliation mechanism for surplus energy supplied through net metering and the price paid for surplus energy. In an October 4, 2007 Secretarial Letter, the Commission requested comments regarding how the AEPS Act amendments should be reflected in net metering and interconnection regulations.

Alternative Energy Credit Program Administrator

On May 15, 2015, the Commission issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to retain the services of a contractor who will perform certain functions necessary for the implementation of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004, as amended (“AEPS Act” or “Act”) (73 P.S. §§ 1648.1-1648.8 and 66 Pa.C.S. § 2814). The Alternative Energy Credits (AEC) Administrator verifies electric distribution company and electric generation supplier compliance with the minimum portfolio requirements of the Act, as well as a number of other functions related to the AEPS Act.

InClime was selected by the Commission as the AEC Administrator at the Public Meeting held on September 3, 2015.

The contract began on October 1, 2015 and will end on December 31, 2018, with the option of two one-year extensions ending December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

AEPS Credit Compliance Summit

The PUC hosted an AEPS Credit Compliance Summit on June 17, 2010. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the various roles in ensuring AEPS compliance and how the EDCs and EGSs can fulfill their AEPS obligations.

Working Groups

PA Solar Projects

The PUC has adopted a policy statement to develop a process to overcome price uncertainty of solar alternative energy credits and address barriers that could prevent new solar projects. This policy statement establishes a solar project stakeholder working group composed of representatives from EDCs, EGSs, Commission staff, public advocates, solar aggregators, solar developers and other interested stakeholders. This working group is to explore and develop standardized contracts and other related documents for EDC purchase of SRECs from solar developers of both large- and small-scale solar projects. The working group is to meet at least semiannually and its efforts are to be published on this web page.

AEPS Act of 2004

The AEPS Working Group will serve as a forum where interested parties may address various aspects of the implementation of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004. If you are interested in joining the email distribution list for information, please contact the Commission at RA-AEPS@pa.gov.

Wind Farm Regulations

The regulation of Pennsylvania wind farms is managed by several other state agencies. The linked page below is maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP regulates impacts of wind farms, typically impacts to water and wetlands mainly from road building and construction activities.